Though they were being polite about it, John knew he was just a step short of being held captive by the Order of the Amber Heart. Then again, he could feel how the Crystal Caverns were reacting now while they were still unsealed. He couldn’t help but watch nervously, hoping Renato was able to make it out. He said he was going to stop by and grab some treasure he’d seen… but how long would that take? Was his path out longer? Worries filled John’s head. He wasn’t sure if they were friends, but as someone he’d at least fought death with he would much prefer Renato to live.

Just as Sectmaster Johannes was reaching the peak of his impatience, Renato came running out of the trembling caverns. “Sect master,” he bowed, “Elders. It seems more time passed than I anticipated.” Renato’s eyes landed on John.

Johannes had a twinkle in his eye but tried to speak sternly. “You are fortunate that Fortkran Tenebach told us you had been seen recently. Otherwise, we would not have waited. Now then, step aside so we can finish sealing the Caverns.”

Renato’s arrival was a huge sense of relief for John. There were many practical benefits… like goodwill from a large faction and one of their disciples in addition to having one of the few people he liked in this new world still alive. He felt somewhat wrong for judging someone by the value they could have for each other, but then again that was what people did on Earth all the time. Usually they were just less open about it. However, his interactions with the Tenebach clan here was all about what mutual benefits they could provide. Speaking of which… “It is good to see you made it, Renato,” John inclined his head. “I must go find my uncle.”

“I can lead you to the guest area,” Renato offered. “They will at least know if he has gone back to the clan.”

It wasn’t hard to find the right place. Renato took his time walking, clearly fatigued from his flight out of the Crystal Caverns, but soon enough John sensed Aydan. He had only just managed to reach the door and raise his hand to knock when it opened.

“...Fortkran? You arrived at the very last minute, it seems.” Aydan looked over him, clearly recognizing his advancement to Foundation Phase. “But not without some benefits for your efforts. Good. You can never be sure what will be in danger zones. I would have liked to stay behind to welcome you out but… that would have just wrapped us up in the same trouble.” Aydan looked at Renato, who was standing nearby.

“You don’t need to mind me, sir.” Renato bowed his head. “I won’t give up any secrets you share. Though I’m sure you’d be more comfortable if I left.” He nodded to John. “Fortkran. Make sure to visit sometime. I could use a good sparring partner outside of the sect’s styles.”

He also probably wanted to win, since Renato hadn’t quite gone all out in their little duel. But John could sense his friendliness. “Of course. Good fortune to you.”

“I could always use more. And to you as well.”

With Renato’s departure, Aydan waved John inside. “Foundation Phase. And… earth elemental spiritual energy. Quite a surprise.”

“This was always the plan…” John shook his head, “Though I would have preferred less chance of death.”

“Tell me about it,” Aydan asked. “We have time. I have sent for some of your uncles to escort me back… us, now. I didn’t want to risk… well, I can tell my story after yours.”

John explained what had happened, leaving out some of the less important details. Though, he made sure to mention how people had attempted to kill him.

“The Roldans and Boyces, huh? It’s mostly your word against theirs, though if that fellow from the Order of the Amber Heart backs you up there might be something to gain. I’m sure they’ll be quite surprised to find you alive. As for what happened with me…”

-----

A dozen Foundation Phase cultivators of various levels stood at the perimeter of the room, waiting for others to make the first move. However, their hesitation allowed the Crystal Caverns to make the first move instead. As they looked towards the moving creatures of pinkish crystal, their presence was noticed. Though in the case of the creatures, it was more that they were finally acknowledged as some sort of threat.

The hundreds of creatures moved in unison, and a wave of earth elemental spiritual energy poured from them, along with a hail of sharp fragments of crystal. Aydan himself sensed their flow and dodged past them, though some of the Amber Heart cultivators withstood the attack directly.

That opened up the floodgates, with the cultivators all breaking into movement. Aydan himself avoided going directly for the center of the room, instead circling around the edge of the cavern watching. Several masses of living crystal moved towards him as he drew his warhammer.

Unlike what many people thought of warhammers, they weren’t big and heavy. Certain sorts of cultivators could get away with oversized weapons, but the base size was a rather smaller weapon. It had a haft long enough to hold in two hands, but the head had a spike merely ten centimeters long, and the whole head including the hammer side was probably around a kilogram. It still had some mass to it, but it relied more on speed to hold its energy rather than merely mass. The first creature to approach was shattered by the hammer side as Aydan gathered his energy. He was fairly certain they had no eyes, and living in an environment that had no natural light meant it would do him little good to try to intensify the darkness in the area. Other cultivators were fighting using their senses or using light sources, but of course Aydan had no need for such.

He kept light on his feet, always ready to avoid the needlelike rains of crystal, and as the crystal creatures got close he also needed to avoid the much more ponderous swings their human-sized forms could produce. He found himself fighting several creatures at once, only occasionally getting a chance to counterattack. However, though they carried the strength of an early Foundation Phase cultivator, they didn’t have the technique that went with it, and their teamwork was limited. In short, as long as he didn’t let himself get hit he could take them out one at a time. Because he’d remained at the perimeter, there weren’t as many after him. But that was a disadvantage as well. There was something in the center, that he could sense… and those who had gone closer were more likely to be able to get their hands on it.

Before Aydan could move in, another handful of cultivators started entering the room, fighting their way towards the center of the oblong cavern. Though since there were others ahead of them, they were barely delayed. Meanwhile, for Aydan to reach the center he would have to pass at least a dozen crystal creatures and potentially fight two cultivators from the Order of the Amber Heart. The chance that they would interfere with each other instead of choosing to stop him was… minimal.

Aydan shattered the last of the creatures near to him, and was preparing to leave the area. No sense expending energy on something he couldn’t benefit from. However, as he was trying to determine exactly what it might be, and if it was worth risking his life fighting several people at once… he noticed something. There was certainly a concentration of energy in the center of the room, but there were small pulses elsewhere. He had to wait for the feeling to come again before he was sure. There would certainly be something special at the center of the room, but with the cavern being more of an ellipse it had two focal points not actually at the center. Aydan swept his gaze around the room, and noticed that some of the crystal creatures were forming up to defend locations that weren’t just the center.

Darkness was more than just one thing. It could be just as its name said, actual lack of light… but beyond that it was one of the elements best able to specialize in stealth. Those around couldn’t really see Aydan, but they could feel his energy and use their own to sense him. But if he restrained his own energy, they would have to be actively looking exactly where he was. He hoped that the crystal creatures weren’t able to actively sense anything.

After making sure nobody was actively sensing him at the moment, Aydan slowly lowered his energy signature. That meant retracting most of his defensive energy as well, so he would be vulnerable to an attack if it came. He slowly moved through the dark cavern towards one gathering of crystal creatures, particularly large ones at least half again as tall as a man. If he was right, he would be able to slip past them… and if not, he would have to react quickly enough to not find himself crushed or pierced through. Aydan slowed even his breath as he stepped one foot at a time, limiting his vibrations through the ground. Ten meters from the creatures. Five. Then he stepped between two of them… hoping they weren’t just pretending to be fooled.